Box-filling machine.



J- vv.11EN-MBA11.&.J. 1. WRIGHT. BOX PILLING'MAGHINE.- APPLICATION FILED AUGJ, 1912.

Patented June 10,1913.

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www ooeo t J. W. DBNMEAD '& I. P. WRIGHT.

4B0X AFILLING MACHINE. *APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1, 1912.

rammed June 10,1913.

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Box FILLING' HAGHINE. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1L 1912.

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Paten'ted June 10,1913.

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I J. W. DBNMEMSLJ. P. WRIGHT.

Patented Junta-10,1913.

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J. w. DENMBAD s; J. P. WRIGHT.

BOX FILLING MACHINE. APPLIUATIQN FILED AUG. 1. 1912.

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J. W. DBNMEAD @L J. P. WRIGHT..

` Patented' June 1o, 1913.

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vB0X FILLING MACHINE. Arrnroulon rILnnAUG. 1, 1912.`

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JOHN W. DENMEAI), OF AKRON, AND JACOB'P' 'iR'IGfI-IT,- OF yBAIEtBIR/E0N, OHIO, AS- SIGNORS TO THE'DIAMOND MATCH COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OIE' ILLINOIS.

B0X-FILLING MACHINE.

To-allwhom, t may concern Be itflinown` that we, JOHN W. DENMEAD and.` Jaconl?. WRIGHT, citizens -ofthe United States, and-residents of Akron4 and Barbe-nton,V respectively, both inthe county of Summit and Stateof Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvement-s inA BoXvFilling Machines, of@ which the-.followingis aspeciication.. This invention.f relates to machines for llingfand closing thetray-and-shu'ck form of boro connnonlyifemployed for holding matoliesfhagvgingrgrefenence morel particularly I to. certain' impnovementsin` the machine forming-'the subjeotl ota pending applicationfor Letters Patent ofthe United States,

filed May- 29, 1909,-by- John W. -Denmead,

tervals of its travel inrordenrto agitato, ar-

range,- and. settle the matches Within the. traysg. arecip-rocative; shuckreceivingdef vice. mounted adjacent the path. of. the com veyerI isadapted to feed. -the bex shuckstox a position in alinement with. the filled. boit`l traysof the conveyer, and lmeans are provided vwhereby such trays are'ejected from the' conveyer and uniformly and positively inserted vinto i the shucks presented thereto.

The object of the present inventionisto" i mpro-ve the said Denmead -machine in cerP tain particulars hereinafter pointed out whereby a more rapid feeding, filling and closing of the boxes are attained, and whereby also Hat or collapsed shucks may be employed.

To this end the invention comprehends various no\el simple and eliicient features of construction and organization in respect more especially of means for feeding'boxtrays to the conveyer; means for j arringfthe conveyer and itscontents; means for insuring the orderly delivery of the matches fromA .the source of match supplyto -the trays;

means for eifectivelY opening. flat shucls and advancing' them in open condition to a point of delivery; means for receiving. thef cpenshocks and presenting them to the filled-trays, and means for associating-the' Specification of Letters Patent.

ratenteaaune 1o; raie;

Application filed August 1, 1912. Serial No. 712,624.

trays with the shuclts; all of which Will loel hereinafter described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings we have illustrated a preferred form of embodiment of our invention,l and While we shall proceed herein topoint out in detail the structural features'of the mechanismsshown, it isrto be understood that our invention is not re.l

stricted to-the precise `details to'which reference may be made,

Figure l is a front elevation'vof a boxfill' ingmachine enibo'dying'our invention. Fig. l is ardetail, in side-elevation, lofthe shuclrconveyory andA oneA ofits supporting',l Wheels.

Fig. .2 is ax planof themachine. Fig; 2? is a detailn plamof the supporting, wheels for the shuck and plunger conveyers, the v adjacent. Wheel for ther tray-ggneyer, the

actuatinggearing-,and adjuncts. F ig, 3 is a bottom view ofthe machine. Fig. Lis. a partial= elevation of the tray-receivingend.

of the machine. Fig. 5 is av partial transverse vertical. section, as on the line 5*-5 ofFig..1=. Fig..6is a. similar section,' asl on the line 6-6 of Fig- 1. Fig. fis a longi-v tudinal vertical sectionof the tray-receiv--` ing endzof the machine, cna plane through'l the tray'feedingchute, as on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6. F ig; 8- is a. partial transverseverticalsectionas on the line 8-8 of Fig. .2. Fig. 9 ist a`v sectional detail illustrating "the latch device for theghingediyoke-frame offan' overhanging shuck-.guard member, as -on the line 9 of Fig. 8.. Fig. 1.0 is a partiallongitudinal vertical section of the trough for the tray conveyer. Fig. 11' is a partial transverse verticalsection, as on-the line 11-11 of Fig. 2; the crank andvpitman connection for the feed slide being shown in elevation. Fig. 12 is a similar section, enlarged, through the forward end. of the tro-ugh and adjacent parts. showing, among other things, the action ofthe feeding` dog; onthe shuclr. Fig. 13 is atransverse vertical section through the shuck hopper, the trough belonT the same, 'andshuck-feeding slide, as on the line 13 -13 of Fig. 2. Fig. 14 isa partial-plan of the trough. and its connections, the shuck hopper being removed. Fig. 15 is -a` sectional. detailfofl` the cam, slide and link de- -vices for oscillating the delivery end of the trough, the section being as on the line .l5-15 of Fig. 14:. Fig. 16 is a longitudinal 4vertical section of the body of the tro-ugh 4and adjuncts, showing one of the lateral chuck-opening cambars. Figs. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 are transverse sections through the shuck-feeding trough, yas on the lines 17-17, 1e-1a 19-19, 20-20, 21-21, 22-22, respectively, of Fig. 1 6", showing the progressive opening action of the lateral cam bars on the shucks.

1 indicates a portion of the endless match carrier of a continuous match making machine, from, which carrier the finished matches are rapidly'discharged row by row by a reciprocating punch head'during the operation of the machine.

2 is a lhorizontal bed or table supported adjacent the source of match supply, and 3 is an endless tray conveyer passing around. sprocket wheels, 4, 5 mounted at r near the respective ends of the hed. The shafts 6 of these wheels are provided with bevelV gear wlheels 7 which mesh withy similar wheels 8 on adjacent short shafts 9 extending longitudinally of and beneath the bed.

- The latter shafts bear spur wheels 10 which mesh with pinions 11 on a main drive shaft 12 which isjOurna-led in bea-rings beneath the bed and extends nearly from end to end of the latter. The shaft 12 is provided with a driving pulley 13 which is actuated from a suitable source of power, and thus, through the gearing described, the power is transmitted to the conveyer to impart continuous motion thereto longitudinally of the bed. The speed of the conveyer bears a predetermined ratio to that of the match carrier, and hence the pulley 13 is preferably belted with a pulley' on the drive shaft of the match machine. The pulley 13 may, if desired, be connected withthe shaft 12 through a friction or grab clutch, the operating lever vfor-which is indicated at 14 (Fig. 1). By properly operating the lever a slippage of the clutch connection between the pulley 13 and its shaft can be effected should it be desired at any time to vary the speed of the filling mechanism to correspond with the quantity of matches being delivered from the match machine. It has not been deemed necessary'to illustrate or describe the clutch, as the same maybe mi any known or approved type.

The tray conveyer herein illustrated iS similar in construction and operation tothat shown and described in the Denmead applcation aforesaid; the same comprising metal links jointed together to constitute an endless chain having outwardly extending walls 15 which provide v:jaws by and between which the match trays (t) are held and transported across the vpath of the matches falling from the match carrier of the match machine.r

The trays are introduced to the tray conveyer from one side of the latter, in advance of the source of match supply, by means of a plunger 16 which is reciprocative toward and from the conveyer and also longitudinally of the direction of ltravel of the latter. This plunger lis slidinglymounted in YThe outer end of the slide is perforated or socketed to receive the upper end of a ver'- tical rock lever 22 which is pivoted to a de pendingf bracket 23 on the bed, the lower arm of the Ilever being equipped with a roller 24 which contacts with the side-face cam 25 of a'cam body 26 on the drive shaft. The contour of this cam is such'that the lever is actuated to retract the slide against the action of the spring, and the slide is thenpermitted to advance a limited distance concurrently with 'the travel of the conveyer; the slide thus being bodily reciprocated longitudinally of the conveyer. Dur- `ingfthe advancement of the slide and its plunger the lat-ter is reciprocated .toward and from the conveyer by means of al bell crank lever 27 andvbox-cam 2S on the cam body 26, which lever is pivoted to a depending bracket 29 on the bed. One arm of the lever 27 extends into a slot in the outer end of the plunger- 16 and the other -arniof the lever bears' a roller 30 which is engaged with the boX cam. Upon the slide, adjacent the plunger, is a stop 31 against which is seated the tray preparatory to its introA duction to the conveyer by the plunger, which stop is preferably constituted by a guard member which overhangs thetray and prevents its upward displacement.

The trays are successively delivered to the slide and lguard member from an inclined chute 32 down which the trays'a're yieldingly and progressivelyfed by a rotating brush wheel 33, as described in the Denmead applicationhabovexreferred to. The bottom of this chute for a.portiff'its'length is preferably slotted to afford an opening 34 through which may escape any trays that have been fed to the chute lengthwise instead of cross' vvi'seof the latter.

(See Fig.- 7). At or adjacent the delivery end of the chute is pivoted an angular step member 35 which overhangs the path of the trays and is provided at its free end with a hook finger 36 which is so disposed thatwlien the inember is swung bodily forward, as when there is no delivery of matches from the match machine, the linger will engage the inside of the opposing tray and thus stop the feed of the trays from the chute. When the stop member is swung back, as seen in Fig. 1,

, derly delivery of the matches to the trays we preferably arrange on the bed, directly in front of the match delivery from the carrier, a horizontal bar 37 having inits inner face vertical channels o-r grooves corresponding in number and relative position with a row of match holding perfcrations in the carrier. This bar is supported directly over the path of the outer ends of the boX trays as they pass in front of the carrier, and its grooves are so located that the heads of each row of matches, preparatory to its discharge from the carrier chain, enter the grooves a short distance, and thus when the ro-w is discharged from thechain the matches are maintained in parallelism and presented in an orderly manner to the underlying trays.

The ends of the bar are preferably supported upon hinge brackets' 38 fastened to the'bed, and the body of, the bar is pivotally connected to an outwardly entending arm 39 which is secured to a Vbracket 40 on the bed by means of a thumb-screw 4l, a slot for the passage of which is 'formed in the arm. By properly turningthis thumb-serew the arm may be released and shifted to swing the groove bar on its hinges toward or from the match carrier in order to adjust the grooved face of the bar accurately in respect to the plane of the match heads and secure the bar in its position by adjustment. Also the bar may be swung backward and downward in order that ready access may be had to theltrays and adjacent parts in case of accidental firing of the matches in the region of the filling station.

The upper stretch of the tray conveyer is impelled through a trough 42 supported upon or adjacent the hed, which trough is divided into a series of sections, whereof those indicated at aand `b, located respectively in front of and just beyond the carrier chain, have capacity for slight vertical vibration in order that the trays with their contained matches, while being carried through said sections a andb, can be bodily agitated to effect the arrangement and set tling of the matches within the trays. The

sections a, b, are entirely separate from each other, so that each can be vibrated independently and variably in a manner to obtain the most etlicient results as the speed of the machine or other conditions may require. (See Fig. l0).

Beneath the bed `are journaled two rockshafts 43, to which are secured arms by adjustment ofthe arm longitudinally of,

the shaft is caused to bear upon one or the other of a series of adjacent peripheral cam surfaces 47 on a cam body 48 keyed on the drive shaft, so as thereby to effect the'rapid vertical vibration of the section withwhich the shaft is connected. Thevperipheral cam surfaces are constructed differently to produce more or less vibration per -minute as desired. (See Figs. l, 2, 3 and `5.)

The box trays, illed with matches, are transported by the conveyer Vto the devices fer ejecting the trays vand inserting them into the box shucks (s), provision being had whereby the shucks are impelled adjacent to and longitudinally of the tray conveyer and whereby the trays and shucks are associated during their concurrent travel. For this purpose' a continuously driven shuck conveyer 49 is provided. veyer comprises an endless chain of links, substantially similar in construction to those of the tray conveyer, supported and guided by apair of sprocket wheels 50,51. in such manner as to travel adjacent to one side of and concurrently withl the tray conveyer, and with the links of the respective conveyers in register with each other for a certain period. One (51) of the sprocket wheels is' mounted on the driven shaft 6 at the discharging end ofthe machine, andthe other a plunger conveyer 53 comprising an endless chain of links supported and guided by vs j This cona pair of sprocket wheels 54 on the shafts (52, 6) for the wheels of the shuck conveyer, and adapted to be impelled in the same direction and at the samespeed as the latter. The links of the plunger conveyer are constructed with transverse guides for plungers 56 which are .adapted to be reciprocated into and from the links of the tray conveyer during their concerted travel therewith and thus push the filled trays bodily from the tray conveyer and into the opposing shucks in the shuck conveyer.' The timely reciprocation of the plungers 56 is accomplished through 'the agency ofv a suitably-disposed V-shaped cam-way'? 'into which enter studs or rollers 58 en the respective plungers 56 as the latter are being carried adjacent the upper stretch of the tray conveyer. This camway, which is formed in the under side of a plate 59 bolted to the bed 2, is of suilicient length and angularity to effect, rst, the

gradual inward projection of the succeeding plungers into the links of the chain con- ,Veyer until the opposing trays have been completely associated with their respective shucks in the shuck conveyer, and then the corresponding gradual retraction of the plungers from the links of the tray conveyer. (See Figs. 1, 11 and 12).

At the point where the plungers begin to enter the links of the tray eonveyer and proceed to push'A thevfilled tray into the shuclnan/ overhanging guard member for the shuck is provided', the same comprising a shoe 60 beveled on its front edge and carried byA a yoke-frame 61 which extends over the cam plate and is hinged to lugs 6 2 thereon. This frame is loekedin p osition by a slide bolt 68 which being fitted to a guide way on the Vplate 59, is normally held upon a lateral `shoulder o-n the frame by means of a suitably-disposed springL 68a. (See Fig. 9). By withdrawing 'the bolt from .the shoulderthe frame can be readily released, and then raised to facilitate acA cess .to the underlying shucks if occasion require.

Adjacent the outer edge of the shuek conveyer is a plate 61 which forms a back stop for the shucks -as the filled trays are'being pushed thereinto by the plungers. This plate is pivoted at `its ends to bracket arms 65 on the bed and is held yieldingly in active positionby means of a spring 66 which is secured to an arm 67 on the plate and to the bed. (See Fig. 8). Thus thev plate exerts a yielding action on theboxes during the association of the 'trays and shucks.'

When the trays have been entered in the shucks the conveyer 49 'in its travel transports them t'o a point of discharge.

As the act-ive stretch of the shuek conveyer passes around thesprocket wheel a slight spreading or diverging of the proximate walls of the links is effected, which walls as they pass the vertical center of the wheel are caused to resume their normal parallel position. Just before adjacent walls occupythis position an open shuck is freely entered in the space between the samez and as the conveyer progresses the shucks are laterally supported by and between the upright jaws. The shucks, in open condition, are successively delivered to the shuck conveyer from a rearwardly extending trough structure 68, the forward end'of which is slidingly supported on the bed and the rearward end on a suitable standard 69, as presently explained. This trough structure includes two sides 70 and a bottom 71, and sustains at its outer end an upright hopper 7 2 in which are packed one upon another the flat or collapsed shucks; the whole being closely pressed down by a weighted plunger 73 which is arranged to slide vertically within the hopper.

Thel

hopper is preferably hinged at its lower -end to one side of the trough, as at as, so that the hopper can be bodily swung over from the trough to permit ready access to the underlying part of the latter and the devices therein as occasion may require.

Guided horizontally in the side walls of Y i the trough, so as to be reciprocative directly under the hopper, is a slide 71 having on its upper surface a shouldered member 74a which is adaptedvin the reciprocation of the slide to engage the rearward end of the lowermost shuck of the pile and push it endwise from the bottom of the hopper and toward the body of the trough. The leading vportion'of the slide is slotted to afford an opening of proper width through which the ejected shuck falls to the bottom of the troughduring the return stroker of the slide.

The slide is Aconnected by means of a rod 7 5 with a cross head 7 6 which bridges and embraces .the trough near the discharge end of the latter,` andthis crossshead is connected by means e 5 a pitman 77 with a crank 78 on one end of a shaft 7 9 having its bearings in arms extending from a depending yoke bracket 81 on the trough, whichbracket, it

is to behoted, is centrally supported on the standard 69 by a collar and pivot connection so as to have capacity for horizontal oscillation. On the opposite end of the shaft 79 is a pinion 82 in mesh` with agear wheel 83 on a rearward shaft 84 having its bearings in the sides of the yoke bracket 81, whereby when the shaft 84: is actuated reciprocation of the cr0ss-head and guide is effected. The shaft 8/1 bears a sprocket wheel 85 around which, and a similar wheel'86 adjacent the shuck conveyer, passes a sprocket chain 87, the upper horizontal stretch-of which extends Ialong the inner surface of the bottom of the trough. The shaft 88 of the wheel 86 has its bearings in depending brackets 89 on the main bed 2 and is equipped with a sprocket wheel 90 which is connected with and driven from the drive shaft 12 by a sprocket chain 91 and Wheeler.. (see rig. n). Bythisy system of sprocket gearing the power is,

transmitted from the drive shaft 12 to the shaft 84 under the sh-uck hopper; the active -stretch of the-sprocket chain 87 continuously delivery opening of the hopper, adjacent the trough a eut-off plate 93 which is formed on or adiXed to a vertical bracket piece 91 slidingly fitted to a guide way in the opposing wall of the hopper. The upper end of this piece is adjustably connected-with a bracket 94 on the wall of the hopper by means of a set-screw 95 which passes freely through a hole in the bracket and engagesa threaded orifice in a lug on the piece 94; an encircling spring 96 on the screw being interposed'between the lug and the bracket. By properly turning the screw the'piece 94 and its plate 93 can be nicely adjusted vertically in order to provide at the bottom of the hopper any desired width of opening for the efficient ejection of the flat shucks severally by the slide. The spring holds the plate 93 down with a yielding pressure so that in case of any clogging at the delivery opening the plate will be raised `to allow the passage of the obstruction without any undue strain on the actuating parts..

The 'inner side walls of the trough are vparallel at the point where the shucks are v delivered thereto and thence converge toward the shuck conveyer. On these inner side walls are fastened bars 97 having oppositely beveled .or inclined cam-like surfaces 98 which extend forwardly from a point directly in advance of the region of ldriven between and against the opposing .beveled 'cam surfaces of the guide bars.

y 99 which is carried by and partakes of the These surfaces by virtue of their'angularity tend to keep the lateral edges of the .shuck horizontal, and as the bars converge in the direction of travel of the shucks it followsthat such lateral edges are gradually pressed toward each other in a manner to open the shuck. `(See Figs. 17 to 22, in-

clusive). At the point where the shuck leaves the channeled portions of the guide strips 97 it is sufficiently open to enter the rectangular space'formed by the continuation of the trough, and hence by the action thereonI of .the converging walls of the trough thetraveling'shuck is brought into final rectangular form for insertion into the opposing link ofthe shuck conveyer.

The means for introducing the open shuck to the conveyer includes a vibratory dog motion of the reciprocating cross-head 76. (See Fivs. 11 and 12). vThis dog comprises an angular plate which is suitably hinged or pivotedon a pin on the cross-head. The

" opposing en forwardly extending member of the plate overhangs the longitudinal path of the shucksf and inclines downwardly to the trough, the -free end of such member being equipped on its undersidewith a beveled shoe 100. The vertical member of the dog extend-s in front of the 'free projecting end of a 'spiral spring 101 borne by a stud on a bracket piece 102. This bracket piece is af- -ixed to the trough and affords a guide for the rod of the slide. 74. On the rearward travel of the slide and cross-head the underbeveled face of the shoe takes against land rides upon the top of the opposing shuck within the trough, and when it clears such shuck the 11p-projecting member ofthe dog contacts with the opposing spring 101 and is thereby yieldingly forced forward in a manner to' depress the leading .end of the other memberl of the dog and permit the shoe 100 in the forward movement of the dog to impinge against t-he of the top of the'said shuck and bodily advance the latter. The forward vmovement of the dog is more rapid than.

that of thetraveling sprocket chain 87and hence the dog pushes the shuck ahead of the impelling lug of such chain anddelivers the shuck bodily to the shuck conveyer 49ay (See `Figs. 11 and 12). The forwardly extendin member of the dog is preferably provide with a cross-piece a which rides on the -top edges of the troughand serves to guide 'and steady the dog during its movements.

As an auxiliary means to position the shucks within the shuck conveyer, we aix to the side of the cross-head a plunger 103 Awhich extends'toward the conveyer in such relation thereto that duringv each stroke of the cross-head toward the conveyer'the free end of the plunger bears against the opposing end of that shuck inserted. by the dog in the immediately precedin stroke'of the cross-head. (See Figs. 2 an 14). I

In order to compensate for the continuous .travel of this conveyer during the shuck inserting operation, the delivery end of the trough is given a slight reciprocation longitudinally of the conveyer. Consequently theV yoke bracket 81 at the rearward end of the trough is pivotally supported on its standard as aboveindicated, and means are provided whereby the forward end of the trough is move-d forward and back at proper intervals in respect to the travel of the succeeding links of the shuck conveyer. Such means in a simple and desirable form includes a slide 104 which .is arranged in a suitable guide bracket 105 laterally of the delivery end lof ythe trough, and is connected with the trough by a link 106.` On the underside of this slide are two spaced pins or rolls 107 between which extends the periphery of a cam 108 fastonthe driven shaft 88, which cam is properly formed and timed to reciprocate the slide 104 and impart the requisite com-v pensatory movements to the trough and the shuck inserting devices carries' thereby.A

(See Figs. 14 and l5).

We claiml. The `combination with a source of match'supply, of means for impelling boX- trays consecutively to and past said source of supply, an endless chain shack-conveyer and an endless chain plungcr-conveyer bctween which the filled trays pass after they leave the source of supply, means for impelling said conveyers concurrently with and `in the same direction as the filled trays,

plungers in the plunger-conveyer, and means for reciprocating said plungers during their travel adj acent` the trays, whereby said trays are progressively shifted from their path into shucks in the shuclr conveyer.

2. The combination with a source ofmatch supply, of an endless chain tray-conveyer, an endless chain shuck-convyer, 'and an endless chain plungerf conveyer, said tray-conveyer being arrangedy to travel to and past the source of match supply and thence between the shuck and plunger conveyers, means for concurrently impelling Vthe adjacent portions ofl said .conveyers in lthe saine direction, plungers in the plunger-conveyer, and means for reciprocating said plungers during their travel adjacent the tray-conveyer, whereby the lfilled trays are progressively ejected from ltray-conveyer, whereby the filled trays arc progressively ejected from the lastnamed conveyer and inserted into shucks` in the v shuclr-conveyer.

4. The combination with a source of match supply, of an endless chain trayconv'eyer, an endless4 chain shuck-conveyer, and an endless chain plunger-con veyer,said tray-conveyer being arranged to travel adjacent'to and past the source of match supply and thence between the shuck and plunger conveyers, means for concurrently impelling the adjacent portions of said conveyers in the same direction, means for vibrating said tray-conveyer during a part `of its travel, plungers in the plungerconveyer, and means'for reciprocating said plungers during their travel adjacent the tray-conveyer, whereby the iilled tra-ys are progressively ejected from the last-named with matches are carried between the active stretches of the shuck and plunger conveyers, Vand in endwise alinement with .the shucks and plungers of the latter conveyers, and means for reciprocating said plungers tor" and from the tray-conveyer while the three-named conveyers are running side by side, whereby the filled trays in the tray-con veyer are pushed into theircomplementary shucks borne b the shucksconveyer.

6; The combination with a source ot matchl supply, of a tray conveyer adjacent thereto, means for continuously impelling said conveyer, a tray support laterally of the conveyer and in advance of the source of match supply, means for reciprocating said support longitudinally of 'the path of travel of the conveyer, a plunger in said support, and means for reciprocating said plunger toward' and from the conveyer during its motion longitudinally of the conveyer.

7. The combination with `a source of yso match supply, of a tray conveyer adjacent thereto, means for l continuously impelling said conveyer, a tray support laterally of the 'conveyer and in advance of the source of supply, a tray stop on -said support, means for successively feeding trays to and upon said support andl against the stop.I means for reciprocating said support' and its stop longitudinally of the path of travel of the conveyer, a plunger in said support, and means for reciprocating said plunger toward and from the conveyer during its mot-ion longitudinally of the conveyer.

8. The combination with a source of match supply, of a tray-conveyer adjacent thereto, a tray-support, a chute lfor box trays leading to said support, means for pushing the trays successively from said support to the conveyer, and a vibratory stop member mounted at the discharging end of the chute and adapted to be manually swung into and' from thepath of the trays.

9. The combination with a source of match supply, of a trough adjacent thereto having a vertically movable section, an end less iiexible conveyer for bor` trays arranged to travel within and along the said trough,

means for-feedingbox trays to said conveyer in advance of the source match supply, a shaft, a,series of variably-acting cams thereon, and a vibratory connection between said section and cams having provision for adjustment relatively to the cams. whereby any one of the cams may be caused to act upon said connection.

10. The combination with a source of match supply, of a trough adjacent thereto having vertically-movable sections, an endless flexible conveyer forbox trays arranged to travel within and along the said trough,-

means for feeding box trays to said conveyer at a point in advance of the source of match supply, rock-shafts, vibratory arms on said shafts connected with the respective sections, a shaft, pl'uralseries of variablyacting cams thereon, one series for each section, levers extending from the rock shafts to the respective series of cams, and means whereby any cam of a series may be caused to act on the proximate vibratory arm of the rock-shaft.

11. The combination of a tray-conveyer comprising an endless chain of tray-holding linksfa shriek-conveyer comprising an endless chain of shuck-holding links, means for continuously and concuriently impelling said conveyer-s, means for progressively pushing the trays from the tray-conveyer into their complementary shucks on the shack-conveyer, a guard member overhanging-the path of the shuck-conveyer, and -a hinged frame supporting the said guard member.

12. The combination -of a tray-conveyer comprising an endless chain of tray-holdingpath of travel of the shucks on said conveyer, a feed device carried by said head, and means whereby said device during its travel with thezhead is periodically shifted in relation to the leading shuck and thus positioned to engage the 'rearward end of the latter during the forward stroke of the head and advance said shuck beyond the conveyer.

14. 'The combination with a continuously movable conveyer for a row of box-shucks, of a head reciprocative longitudinally of the path of travel of the shucksA on said conveyer, an angular shriek-engaging device pivoted to said head, one member of said device extending forwardly of the head and adjacent the path of the leading shuck, and means for oscillating said device in relation to the said shu'ck, whereby the saiddevice in its forward stroke is caused to engage the said shuck and advance it beyond the conveyer.

15. The combinationwith a continuously movable conveyer for' a row of box-shucks, of ahead reciprocative longitudinally of the path of travel of the shucks on said conveyer, an angular shriek-engaging device. pivoted to said head, one member of saidv device ex- .Y

tending forwardly of the head and in proximity to the path of the leading shuck, and a stop extending into the path of thel other member of the said device during its rearward stroke .with the head, whereby the said device is tilted and positioned to engageV the said shuck and advance it beyond the conveyer during the forward stroke of the device'. l

16. The combination with a continuously movable conveyer for 'a row of box-shucks,

of a head reciprocative longitudinally of the path of travel of the shucks on said conveyer, an angular shuck-engaging device pivoted to said head, one member of said. device extending forwardly of the head and in proximity to the path' of the leading shuck, a spring, and means for supporting it in the path traversed by the other member of the said device during the rearward stroke of the said. device with the head', whereby the said device is tilted and positioned to engage the said shuck and advance it' beyond .the conveyer during the forward stroke of the device.

17 The combination with a continuouslymovable conveyer for articles to be fed, of a reciprocative head`movable in the same direction as and at a higher rate of speed than the active stretch of said conveyer and a Vibratory dog on said head positioned to cngage the successive articles on the conveyer and advance them longitudinally of and beyond the said conveyer. l

`18. The combination with a continuouslymovableconveyer for articles to be fed. of a head reciprocative longitudinally of the path.,-

of travel of the articles on the conveyer, a vibratory dog on said hea-d positioned to Aengagethe successive 'articles .and advance them longitudinally ofy and beyond the conveyer, and a second conveyerinto which the V, said articles are successively delivered by the said do-g.

19. The combination'rwith-a hopper' for I flat box-shucks, of means`-for ejecting thel shucks successively therefrom, a continuously-moving conveyer cn which said shucks are deposited and thereby impelled, means in the path ofthe traveling shucks for laterally pressing them to open condition, and

means moving at a higher rate of speed than the conveyer for engaging the open .y Vshucls and advancing them beyond the conveyer.

20'. The combination With a hopper for flat boX-shucks,` of a reciprocating slide for engaging the lower-most shucks and ejecting them successively from the hopper, a continuously-moving conveyer on which said shucls are. deposited, means in the path of the traveling shucks for laterally pressing them to open condition, and a reciprocating device movable concurrently with the slide ing oonveyertherein upon which the shucks are deposited, lateral cam surfaces in said trough for'pressingthe shucks to open -eondition, a cross-head connected with the slide,v connections whereby theslide and cross-head are reciprocated through the motion of the chain, and means carried by the cross-head adapted to engage the open shuclis in succession and advance them beyond the conveyer.

22. The combination, ivith a shuck-conveyer, of a support extending outwardly therefrom adapted 'to contain a row of box shucks, a head reciprocative longitudinally lof said support, a feed device carried by said head, means whereby said device duringits travel With 'the head is periodically shifted in Vrelation to the opposing shuck and thus positioned to engage the rearward end of the latter and advance it to the shuck-conveyer, and a plunger carried by said head adapted to act against the opposing end of the shuck thus seated in the conveyer.

Signed at Barberton -in'the county of Summit and State of Ohio this 29 4day of July A. D. 1912.

i JOHN W. DENMEAD. Y- .J AOOB P. vWRIGHT l/Vitnesses :v E. A. J Acos,

. SABINA PARKS. 

